Lunch and a Wander in Marigot, Saint Martin

We drive down the coast from Grand Case to Marigot, about 6 km (3.7 miles) away.  Marigot has been the capital of French Saint Martin since the reign of Louis XVI, the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy in the French Revolution.  Originally a fishing village, the town grew by filling in the lagoon in 1970 and 1990 and is still recovering from Hurricane Irma, which destroyed an estimated 91% of the homes on the island in 2019.   Marigot is slowly returning as a charming example of French influence on Caribbean lifestyle.

We wander in the Marigot harbor, full of shops, restaurants, and sailboats, stopping at a favorite shop to see what is new.

Marigot harbor

After Irma, Netherlands Ministry of Defense photo

After strolling and shopping, we head over toward the ferry terminal (fast ferries to Anguilla, just 20 minutes across the Anguilla Channel between the two islands).  Alongside the ferry terminal are the Marigot lolos, a food district with history dating back to the 17th century.  Their buildings were destroyed by Irma and the district has been recreated out of shipping containers.  The small restaurants serve great traditional local food for locals and tourists alike.

Lolos

We wander and pick Chez Coco, in the middle, for our lunch, dining on plates of curry goat (Ragoût de Cabri), creole shrimp (Crevettes Créoles), and grilled shrimp (Crevettes Grillées).  And, of course, a few Carib beers from Trinidad and Tobago.

Chez Coco

Curry goat plate

Shrimp plates

We've enjoyed a pleasant stroll and lunch in Marigot and are glad to see that more has been recovered and rebuilt every time we return.  We look forward to many more trip.